Folding rack for drying photographic prints



M. KAWA.

FOLDING RACK FOR DRYING PHOIOGRAPHIC PRINTS.

APPLICATION FILED APR-24:1919.

Patented Mar. 7, 1922.

PATENT OFFICE.

MARION KAWA, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

FOLDING RACK F93 DRYING PI-IOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS.

Application filed April 24, 1919.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, MARION Kawri, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county oi Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Racks for Drying Photographic Prints, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved. folding rack or stand for drying photographic prints and other similar objects.

C'ne oi the objects of my invention is the iroduction of a rack or stand of this type which is simple in construction, durable, easily folded, and readily extended for use. and in which a number of superposed shelves are provided so that a large capacity is provided for supporting objects.

A further objectis the provision of. flexible shelves or supports for the prints or other objects, adapted to be normally rolled and retained in such condition upon springcontrolled rollers, and which shelves or supports may be extended and retained in spaced relation one above the other.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of a .ioldable stand or rack having shelves or supports arranged one above another and retained in spaced relation, the whole being collapsible so that it occupies only a small fraction of the space required when extended.

it further consists in a foldable rack or stand having standards normally spaced and retained apart when the rack is extended, and having flexible shelves or supports extending from one standard to the other, vith each shelf or support fastened to a spring roller and adapted to be automatically wound around said roller when its free end is released.

It further consists in the novel features of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter described and more particularly set forth in the appended claim.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of this improved rack in extended form.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the same folded or collapsed.

Fig. 3 is a broken vertical longitudinal section taken centrally through the rack or stand Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 7, 1922. Serial No. 292,249.

Referring to the parts by reference numerals, idesignate the standards, each of which comprises two uprights 5 joined together near their upperand lower ends by cross bars 6, 7, respectively. 8 designates a foldable longitudinal connector member. comprising two parts 9, 10, these parts being arranged end to end and hinged or pivotally connected together, as at 11, and the outer ends thereof are hinged to the up rights of the standards 4:, as at 12. Each part of this connector member comprises two spaced lon itudinal bars 13 which are connected at their outer and inner ends by cross bars 14-, 15, respectively, the cross bars 15 lying iii-contact with each other when the rack is extended, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Brace arms 16 are provided which connect each of the side bars of one of the parts of the longitudinal connector member with one oi the uprights of each standard at. These brace arms are formed of two parts pivotally connected together, as at 17, the

lower part of each brace arm being pivotally connected to one of the longitudinal bars 13 of each part of the ttoldable conncctor member and the upper part to an upright 5 of one of the standards 41.. Each brace arm is provided with suitablemeans to keep the two parts thereof in alinement, in which condition said brace arms are rigid and preventaccidental folding of the rack.

The brace arms are held against folding except in an upward direction, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and when the braces are extended they hold the two parts of the-longitudinal connector member in rigid relation to the standards. In a broad sense, the side bars of the two parts of the longitudinal connector member may be said to form the side bars of the complete connector member since when said. parts are swung downwardly into horizontal position, the inner ends of the side bars of the two parts abut, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, making in efiect a continuous bar extending from standard to standard.

For convenience in supporting developing trays or other objects, each upright is provided with a swinging shelf 18 pivotally secured to a cross bar 19, as at 20, each of said cross bars extending from upright to upright of one at $1. 9 Standards and connect ing said uprights together, said swinging shelves are held in horizontal position by folding braces 27, one end of each brace being pivot-ally secured to one olthe shelves and the other end to one or": the uprights 5. hen folding the brace the shelves may be lowered to the position shown in Fig. 52.

ill designate flexible shelves or supports on which the prints or other light-weight articles may be placed. These shelves are arranged one above another, and are preih erably formed of rubber cloth or other suitable material, one end of each shelt being secured to a spring; controlled roller 22 similar to the ordinary spring roller used on window shades, said rollers being positioned between the uprights oil: one 5 1rd and having opposite ends journaled in said uprights in any approved manner. l hcse rollers are so arranged that the flexible material forming the shelves is normally wound around the rollers and retained in such con dition by the springs or the spring; roller, in the same manner as a window shade is retained in rolled up condition on its sprin roller, and when these shelves are cr-ttendm so as to reach from one standard to the other, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the s rings of the rollers become wound up or strained, and the free ends of the shelves hooked or otherwise secured to the uprights 5 of the opposite standards, as at By reason of the springs of the rollers being strained or wound up, the shelves, when their free ends are attached to the posite standards, are retained in taut condition so as to properly support li lt-we' articles, particularly prints or similar ol jects to be dried.

WVhen it is desired to fold the raclc, the free ends of the shelves 9/1. are disconnected from the uprights oil the standard to which they are attached and the springs of the rollers 22 immediately act to winijl up or roll the flexible shelves around said rollers, whereupon the shelves assume the co 'lition shown in Fig. 2. The brace arms in may then be folded, after which the two pa is oil the connector member 8 may be il'olded upon themselves and swung u; wardly on the pivots 12 by means of which the outer ends of said two parts are connected to the stan, dards. l'Vhen thus manipulating the device, the two standards are moved toward each other and assume the position shown in Fig. 2, with the folded connector member in parallel position, or substantially so, between the two standards.

While the :lolding of the rack may be accomplished in the manner described, it possesses the advantages of being folded without detaching any of the parts, such as for instance, detaching the free ends of the shelves 521 from the uprights of the standards to which they are connected, as the springcontrolled rollers around which said shelves are secured will automatically cause the shelves to be rolled up when folding the rack. Ii, for instance, any of the lower shelves are in use, the hinged connector member may i'old upwardly between the standards when moving said standards toward each other, and the shelves will simply yield to assume substantially'the outline or": the folded connector member. The two uppermost shelves, however, will continue to assume a perfectly horizontal position although shortened by reason of the major portion having been rolled around the rollers to which they are secured. It is apparent therefore that the shelves will automatically roll up or will be capable of being flexed upwardly and at the same time l; o by reason of portions thereof being rolled around their rollers.

ln order to retain the rack in folded position, a chain 24% may be attached with one end to one of the standards. This chain has a hook or other securing device 25 at its opposite end which is to be entered into an eye 26, or any similar retainer device may be used for this purpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is A. rack of the kind described, con'iprising two standards, a folding connector-member having two parts pivotally connected at th r outer ends to said standards and pivot ally coi'inected together at their inner ends, folding braces connecting, each part of said coni'ieclor-nieniher with one of said standards, springwound flexible elements arrangpd one above another and secured to one of said standards and extending to the other standard :lor connection thereto, said ileni ile elelnei'its being, adapted to be rolled up automatically when disengaged from lastunentioned standard and said connector ember is folded.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature.

MARION KAYVA. 

